POMONA, Calif. – When Olivia Luu sank her final Jessup basket on March 14, 2019, little did she know that her basketball journey was only beginning. After four years playing on Horton Court, Luu was months away from kick-starting a rapid climb through the college basketball ranks.
The life of an NAIA athlete is a stark difference from that of one competing at the NCAA Division I level. This is not to say the life of an NAIA athlete is bad, but few get to experience the journey from both points of view.
One who can tell that story is Luu. Starting as an NAIA athlete, Luu lived the DI life for two years, and now she begins her next journey on the bench at a DII program.
But coaching was not always the career path for Luu. "Initially, I was on track for the medial route," says Luu, who adds that the passion for the medical field was not there for her. "I knew I could find a way to love it, but I just wasn't passionate about it."
Luu, a 2019 graduate, earned a B. S. in Kinesiology. But as many students do during their undergrad, Luu changed her major along the way. The change set the path for where she is today.
"When I was at Jessup, I changed my major to Kinesiology to focus on the sports management route," adds Luu. "I think that was my indicator to start coaching when I changed my major. I just told myself, 'Sports is my life. It's always been my life.' I didn't necessarily know what avenue I was going to go down; I just knew I wanted sports to be a part of it. I think I always knew deep down that coaching was for me. I just didn't want to believe it originally."
The four years Luu spent at Jessup were unlike that of many college athletes. During Luu's Jessup career, Luu experienced the life of a college athlete along with her sister, Janelle. The two Luu sisters played three seasons together at Jessup. It's a time that will always be special to them.
"I wouldn't have gone to Jessup if it wasn't for my sister. I wouldn't have even thought of it. Being able to play with Janelle was the ultimate college experience. I look back at all these things, and being able to be on that journey with your sister, there was never an away game for us. I always had at least one person rooting for me, and she had at least one person rooting for her."
"I wouldn't be where I am today without her. Not too many people can say they played college basketball with their sister."
Luu's time on the court saw her play for two head coaches, Emily Blate and Kurt Westendorp. The Warriors won 60 games during Luu's four-year run, capped off with the program's first trip to the NAIA National Tournament in her senior season.
That time as a player, and the coaches she played for, served as the foundation of Luu's eventual coaching career.
"Emily Blate, who was my coach my freshman year, I just admire her so much and the knowledge she had for the game," says Luu. "The way she coached me really brought back the love I had for the game. I think that's what sparked coaching for me. And Kurt was a really big help for me as well. He helped me get involved with the WBCA. He helped me through the process of getting to where I am today."
Luu's mark will always be present within Warrior Arena. But her mark on basketball is only beginning because when Luu stepped off the court for the final time as a player, she would not be stepping off the court for good.
Within months of receiving her undergraduate degree, Luu navigated north, beginning her graduate studies at Gonzaga University, where she would spend the next two years as a graduate assistant for the women's basketball program. A career in sports was beginning.
Gonzaga, to many, is a dream school. A powerhouse university in college basketball, but for Luu, it was a needed step out of her comfort zone.
"I knew I needed to go somewhere to be a little uncomfortable because that's where growth comes from. I'm a California kid. I went to school in California, grew up in California, my whole family is in California. I think Washington, it was still a little in my comfort zone, being on the west coast. It was a big step for me to go and take this journey on my own, where I didn't have any friends or family. It was a very uncomfortable situation, but it was a great learning experience."
In a full circle moment, Luu's path to Gonzaga would not be complete without her old coach. Luu and Gonzaga head coach Lisa Fortier were introduced at the 2019 NCAA Women's Final Four in Tampa, Fla. A meeting organized by Luu's first college coach, Blate.
The Bulldogs would go 51-7 during Luu's time in Spokane, winning the WCC Tournament in the 2020-21 season. On top of her time working with the basketball program, Luu grew in the classroom, finishing her graduate studies with an M. A. in Organizational Leadership.
Luu's time in Spokane allowed her to experience the life of a Division I athlete, one she says is not only a stark difference from what she knew but also one that built gratitude from where she came.
"It's so crazy that college basketball can look different depending on where you're at. I'm glad I got that experience at Division I because it's a completely different ballgame from resources to facilities."
Gonzaga plays their home games in the McCarthey Athletic Center, a 6,000-seat arena that houses one of the best homecourt advantages in NCAA hoops. The life of an NCAA athlete takes you across the country, and it takes a small army to pull off this operation. That army, for many NAIA programs, is an army of one.
"I was an intern my senior year at Jessup for Brandon Bowling, so I got to see the bandwidth. I saw Kurt and his assistants have to be the Director of Basketball Operations, VP, head coach, assistant coach, travel secretary, all this stuff. To now be at Gonzaga, there's more resources and people on staff to do all of these things. So it was nice to see both sides. Even though I wasn't a coach at Jessup, having seen the bandwidth at a small school, then to go to a Division I and see how much more resources there are and the struggles they have as well, it gives you a lot of perspective."
That perspective, says Luu, leads to a new sense of gratitude. "I'm really enjoying my journey right now because I'm getting a little taste of everything essentially. This journey really gives you time to reflect and have that gratitude for where you came from."
The journey continues for Luu. Having seen the life of an NAIA and NCAA Division I athlete, she now makes the move to NCAA Division II, where she is in year two as an assistant coach for Cal Poly Pomona. The Mustangs are off to a 4-1 start in Luu's second season. They'll look to add two more wins this weekend as their conference schedule takes them to the Bay Area.
At the end of the day, Luu's journey has been one of growth. She has grown through the ranks and will continue to grow as her career develops. It all started with someone giving her a chance, one that will never be lost on her.
"I always just wanted an opportunity," adds Luu. "I've always said I just need one person to give me a chance. That's still my mantra. All it takes is one person to believe in me and let me show what I can do. I'll always be grateful to coach Lisa Fortier and Danielle Bishop for giving me a chance and believing in me and giving me a chance to get my career started."
The opportunities keep coming for Luu, and everyone at Jessup continues to keep a close eye on her growth. For Luu, she says she will always keep an eye back here on what's happening in Rocklin. "I think this is going to be the first season where I don't have any old teammates still playing, which is a transition for me, but I'm always watching. I'm always going to be rooting for Jessup, as a fan now and an alumni. I'm always wanting them to succeed."
Olivia Luu's career path has been one unlike many who have come before her. As her career continues to grow, Jessup will always be happy to play a role in its beginning.
***
William Jessup University is a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), and the Golden State Athletic Conference (GSAC). For additional information regarding Jessup Athletics, visit www.jessupathletics.com; visit www.jessup.edu for more information on William Jessup University. Follow Jessup Athletics on social media: William Jessup University Athletics (Facebook) and @JessupAthletics (Twitter & Instagram).
